Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Seattle plant failure dumps millions of gallons of sewage

In the early morning hours of Thursday, February 9, King County, Washington learned the West Point Treatment Plant near Discovery Park on the Puget Sound had suffered a “major emergency,” reported KOMO News.

An electrical failure resulted in catastrophic flooding in the plant, damaging an underground network of pumps, motors, electric panels and other gear. At the time of the initial disaster, untreated effluent, a mix of 90 percent storm-water and 10 percent raw sewage, was pouring into the Sound at a rate of 44 million gallons per 24-hours through an outfall three-quarters of a mile from shore at a depth of 240 feet.

Untitled

King 5 News


Jeanne Kohl-Welles, a King County councilwoman whose district includes the 32-acre West Point Treatment Plant, told the Associated Press, “It has been a disaster, and we’re not out of it yet. We still don’t know really what went wrong. We’ve got to get a handle on it. I’m very concerned about the environment, the effects on marine life in the sound, public health.”

Crews have been working around the clock to repair the estimated $25 million in damages to the plant, hoping to have it back online by the end of April. They made sure to note that no raw sewage has been flowing from the plant since February 16.

However, King County has launched an independent probe into the incident, saying they want to know what led to the breakdown and equipment failure and what is being done to make sure this type of disaster doesn’t happen again.

The failure of the treatment plant is particularly worrisome because it gives a black eye to a region that prides itself on its environmental consciousness. It took years of hard work to clean up the nation’s second-largest estuary, a monumental task. A recent effort banned boats from dumping raw or partially treated sewage into the Sound.

County officials worry that the longer the plant remains at half-capacity, the likelihood of environmental damage grows. Additionally, the county remains in violation of the Clean Water Act until the problems at the plant are fixed and the facility becomes fully operational.

Avatar photo
Written By

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.

You may also like:

Tech & Science

Under new legislation that passed the House of Representatives last week, TikTok could be banned in the United States.

Social Media

Wanna buy some ignorance? You’re in luck.

Life

Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest often suggest travel destinations based on your likes and viewing habits.

Business

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the carrier was reviewing recent incidents and would redouble safety initiatives as needed - Copyright AFP Logan CyrusUnited...